Growing Pains

 

"During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears...and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered..." -Hebrews 5:7-8

Last fall, which considering present global circumstances seems like ages ago, I remember having lunch with a friend. We were catching up and began talking about what God was doing in each of our lives. The prayer requests that we had, places God was leading us into, etc. As the conversation progressed, my friend said something to me that really caught my attention. She said, "you know I have this special type of relationship with God that basically anytime I ask Him for something He just does it for me!" As I thought about her statement, my friends words really resonated with me. Although God had not yet answered every single prayer request at that time, I did think that for the most part I pretty much received whatever I asked God for. I did not think this in arrogance. I simply thought that I had incredible favor with God and considered it a privilege to have so many of my petitions answered. But a lot can happen in 12 months (ahem, pandemic for example?). And though I still believe 1000% in God's ability and willingness to answer our prayers, I now look at my relationship with God quite differently than I did at that restaurant last year. Though God has not changed from last year to now, I have. Yet as difficult as this year has been for me (as I am sure for many of you), I have learned that many times the key to growth in the Christian life is only attained through suffering. Resurrection is only made possible after death and the key to spiritual strength is found after a season of weakness. This is what I refer to as growing pains. 

Baby, please don't cry!

The relationship between an infant and his parents is interesting to examine. The amount of influence a tiny human can have over two grown adults is remarkable. From the minute that baby opens his eyes to the second he falls asleep, the parents are completely engrossed in caring and catering to his every whim because that baby is utterly dependent on them. Similarly when we begin in the Christian faith, all of us start as infants. The apostle Paul spoke of this by telling the Corinthian church "Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly--mere infants in Christ." (1 Cor 3:1) Paul recognized that these Christians had not progressed passed the spiritual infancy stage. For this reason the apostle followed that verse by saying that they were not even able to grasp the deeper revelations (meat) of God's Word (vs 2). Much like the infant I previously described, the newborn Christian must be catered to. God caters to our every whim and fancy. He dotes on us and is quick to give us the things we ask of Him. Why? Because as infants we are unable to bear the weight that sometimes comes as a result of following Jesus. God does for us what we cannot yet do for ourselves. As babes in Christ, God will go out of His way to fulfill our every need and most wants but as our relationship with Him deepens, this will not always be the case. God expects us to mature and for this to happen He must tell us no (or not yet) at times! As amazing as it is to have all of our prayers soon answered, it does not become the mature believer. So long as we are infants, God cannot give us heavier revelations, use us (as much) to impact the lives of others, nor *trust us with authority. These are all gifts that God bestows on us as we mature in Him. And spiritual growth is one of the many things that God desires for each one of us. 

*{Please Note: Love and trust are not the same. God loves us all the same but does not trust us the same. Trust is the result of continued obedience to His will.} 

The Rite of Passage.

Thrown into a pit, sold as a slave, falsely accused, and finally imprisoned, the last 13 years of Joseph's life had been exceptionally hard. In Jacob's house, Joseph was someone important. In Egypt, however, he was merely a nameless prisoner with no possessions, family, nor future. I cannot imagine, having seen the powerful dreams that God gave him, Joseph ever thought the road to his destiny would be filled with so many tears and hardships. But maturity requires that we go through seasons of suffering! {When I speak of spiritual maturity, I am referring to God developing Christ-like character in our lives.} As talented and anointed as Joseph was, except he pass through the gate of suffering, God could not yet use him to rule in Egypt! As infants in Christ we find ourselves, like Joseph, in the comfort of our Father's home with all the privileges that come to His children. But as God begins the maturation process, He pulls us out of comfort and strategically places us into seasons of suffering. Yes, I said it...not all suffering is evil and some of it is God's perfect will for us. Sometimes the trials we are asking God to end are the very ones that He is using to grow us (Rom 8:28). Peter, having experienced some suffering himself, spoke of this in 1 Peter 4:12-13 saying, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." Peter encourages believers to rejoice during times of suffering for without participating in Jesus' sufferings neither can His glory be revealed/uncovered (Greek word for 'glory' conveys the meaning of intrinsic worth). When we suffer as a result of walking with Jesus, we start to see God's true worth and how our sufferings brings us closer to Him. When this happens and we are able to react godly to difficult circumstances, maturity begins to develop. So as hard as that prison season was for Joseph, his spirit man matured more than in his father's house. The same can be true for us if we submit to our own seasons of molding. 

Death prepares us for life. 

About a month ago, we experienced a pretty bad storm where I live. The rain was heavy, winds where rapid, and people were instructed not to go out if they could help it. Yet just a few hours later everything was different. The sun shone brightly, there was a cool, soft breeze in the air, and not a cloud in the sky. As if the storm had never happened. During the storm, it was hard to imagine having such a beautiful day shortly after, but once the day cleared the storm was a vague memory. Similarly our walk with God is filled with such like instances of storm and calm. During difficult seasons, it's hard to imagine that our circumstances will ever get better, but they will! God will take us through passages of suffering, but we must keep three things in mind...suffering always has a purpose, comes for a season, and if we submit to it yields fruit in our lives. As we begin to grow in Jesus, God will start disciplining us. He will correct behaviors, thought patterns, and attitudes that are out of line with His Word. This is not done out of severity, but from the deep, unending well of love for His children. Listen to what the Holy Spirit says in Hebrews 12:7-8, "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all." We will all undergo times of discipline. They are uncomfortable and many times filled with tearful prayers. But as we continue seeking God through these difficult times, we will see something that we may not have seen before...growth. Through discipline God begins to help us change and therefore grow in our walk. Just a few verses later in verse 11 the writer speaks of the end of discipline saying, "Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." If we submit to those stormy seasons, God promises to bring us into times of peace and godliness. And when we come through on the other side, we will be able to look back at those difficult times and say that they were worth it because through them God formed us into the mature Christians we are today. If you're anything like me, you avoid pain at all costs, but many times God uses pain to transform us into the individuals we need to become. Into the image of His own Son! 

Final Thoughts...

Dear Reader, do you find yourself in a time of suffering and discipline? Do not despair! Times of pain allow us to grow closer to the Lord. During difficult seasons, Jesus becomes ever so real to us. Oh, how He who longs to comfort us! The Master longs to be with us and that we might choose to be with Him. In the darkest hours His light shines ever so brightly. And in these hours, we see all the more the very worth of Jesus. How all the suffering in the world pales in comparison to one more minute in His presence. Not only does the Lord love you but He wants you! Every part of you. So during this difficult season, invest your time with Him. Give yourself to Him and watch as He, slowly but surely, begins to form a mosaic out of you. And as the Psalmist wrote, "Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning." (Ps 30:5)